Finding a job is difficult in itself. Finding a job when you might have a criminal record or a felony is even harder. However it’s not inconceivable.
Unfortunately, some corporations will discriminate against anyone who has been incarcerated or convicted of against the law, even when there are legislatures in place to try to forestall that from happening. They’ll mechanically reject all job applicants with a criminal record, no matter whether it was a misdemeanor or a felony charge.
Nevertheless, the excellent news is that an increasing number of corporations have modified their policies to be more inclusive, and this inclusivity extends to felons. Hundreds of corporations have signed the Fair Probability Pledge. They’re willing to present individuals with felony convictions a second likelihood and a possibility to interrupt out of the criminal lifestyle cycle.
What Jobs for Felons Are Available?
Before you begin applying, it’s essential to know what felon-friendly employment opportunities can be found to you. Otherwise, you might be wasting your time applying for jobs you might be ineligible for and can find yourself feeling more discouraged.
Certain industries won’t hire felons in any respect resulting from the character of the job or resulting from specific laws. These generally include jobs where you might be handling sensitive information, working with vulnerable people, or are required to travel internationally. Some examples include working in child care, health care, finance, law enforcement, and for the federal government.
Where you possibly can potentially discover a job as a felon relies on just a few things.
- What were you convicted of? It would be harder to seek out a job if you might have been convicted of a serious offense or have quite a few charges.
- When were you convicted? Some corporations will consider the timing of your charges – reminiscent of how way back the crime(s) took place, how old you were when it happened, and the way long you might have been out of prison.
- Where do you reside? Each state has its own laws regarding hiring a convicted felon, and a few even have different definitions of what a felony is. Do somewhat research to see what applies to your situation.
Concentrate on the Jobs That Hire Felons
In case you are in search of a job with a felony record, concentrate on getting a job anywhere you possibly can, reminiscent of those that have joined the Fair Probability Pledge. That you must get your foot within the door somewhere, anywhere that’s willing to present you a likelihood.
Once you might be hired, show your employer that you simply are a reliable, hard-working worker by beginning to tackle more responsibilities and learning recent job skills. It will help rebuild your resume, give you strong references, and advance you to higher positions.
You would possibly have to begin with a lower-paying job, a part-time or temporary job, or a job that you simply are overqualified for. And you may must apply for jobs in other industries, too.
Unfortunately, your options are already limited. You may’t afford to limit yourself even further.
That said, there are still loads of opportunities to seek out meaningful work. Knowing what corporations and kinds of jobs are felon-friendly is the very best place to begin.
1. Local Firms
Although the businesses mentioned in this text are all major chains, you may have higher luck applying for jobs with local corporations. Locally owned businesses don’t must follow policies which can be set out by someone sitting in a head office some other place. They’ve lots more freedom to rent whomever they decide to hire. Small businesses are also less more likely to run criminal background checks, which may very well be an enormous advantage for you.
Local business owners may be more willing to rent you in the event that they already know you or should you are referred by someone they know. So, should you can get a private reference or referral from someone, make the most of it.
2. Restaurants & Fast Food Firms
Restaurants and fast food corporations are well-known for hiring felons. Starting as a dishwasher won’t be ideal, but should you show initiative and are willing to learn, the restaurant industry is a terrific place to learn and grow on the job. You may quickly move up the ranks from a minimum-wage fast-food employee to a well-paid fine-dining chef.
Some restaurants and fast food corporations that hire felons include:
- Starbucks
- McDonald’s
- Subway
- Burger King
- Dairy Queen
- Carl’s Jr.
- Baskin Robbins
- KFC
- Domino’s Pizza
- Pizza Hut
- Outback Steakhouse
- Applebees
- Red Robin
- Five Guys Burger
- TGI Fridays
- Golden Corral
- Chili’s
- IHOP
- Olive Garden
- Red Lobster
- Buffalo Wild Wings
3. Grocery Stores & Retail Firms
Grocery stores and retail stores are also known for offering felony-friendly jobs. Some behind-the-scenes jobs include stocking shelves, unloading inventory within the warehouse, cleansing, and maintenance. Depending on the character of your charges, there are also storefront options available, reminiscent of cashier, working within the deli or cafe, bagging groceries, order picking, and customer support.
Some grocery stores and retail chains that hire felons include:
- Walmart
- Goal
- Kohl’s
- Kmart
- Sears
- Costco
- Trader Joe’s
- Publix
- Whole Foods Market
- Krogers
- Safeway
- Home Depot
- Lowes
- Best Buy
- IKEA
- Walgreens
- Bed, Bath & Beyond
- Under Armour
- Dollar General
- Dollar Tree
- Petsmart
- Party City
4. Tech Firms
Our world is digital, which implies there are a lot of job opportunities within the tech industry. These can include entry-level jobs like data entry, sales, and customer support or manual labor jobs like cable assembly, line installation, and repair. In case you are technically expert, there are also jobs in communications, tech support, software development, website design, and web maintenance.
Some tech corporations that hire felons include:
- Intel
- Apple Inc.
- Microsoft
- Dell
- Verizon
- Sprint
- AT&T
- Motorola
- Comcast
- T-Mobile
- IBM
- Sony
- Hewlett-Packard
5. Hospitality Firms
Hotels are at all times hiring people for his or her housekeeping and maintenance staff, and lots of the greater chain corporations are willing to rent felons to fill these roles. It will not be your first selection, as it may well be labor for low pay, nevertheless it’s a spot to begin. In addition they hire customer support jobs like shuttle bus drivers, baggage porters, and reservation agents.
Some hospitality corporations that hire felons include:
- Marriott Hotels – Delta Hotels, TownePlace Suites, and Sheraton
- Wyndham Hotels – Ramada, Days Inn, Super 8, Howard Johnson, and Travelodge
- Selection Hotels – EconoLodge, Comfort Inn Suites, and Quality Inn
- Holiday Inn
- Hyatt Hotels
- Hilton Hotels
- Best Western
6. The Military
The US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and the Canadian Armed Forces have all hired individuals with criminal records.
Whether or not you qualify will partially rely upon the variety of convictions you might have, the character of your convicted offenses, and when the crime took place. You furthermore mght can’t currently be in jail or serving a jail sentence, facing criminal charges, or being on probation or parole.
But should you meet the mental and physical requirements and are granted a felony waiver (or record suspension in Canada), you possibly can have a really rewarding profession within the military.
The military offers various roles that don’t include going to combat, reminiscent of administration, food services, driving, maintenance, health care, and communications.
7. Driving & Trucking Firms
If you might have a clean driving record, you could possibly find a terrific job driving within the delivery or trucking industries. There are many places that need drivers between shuttle services, moving corporations, food delivery, and shipping.
In case you don’t mind long-distance travel and being alone on the road for days or even weeks at a time, many trucking and transportation corporations offer on-the-job training and typically pay well.
Certain organizations would require that you simply have already got driving experience or that your convictions are a minimum of 5 years old. Yow will discover an updated list that breaks down the hiring practices for various trucking corporations.
Some driving and trucking corporations that hire felons include:
- United Parcel Service (UPS)
- FedEx
- Swift Transportation
- J.B. Hunt
- Walmart
- CRST International
- TransAm Trucking
- Prime, Inc.
- Allied Van Lines
- Barr-Nunn Transportation
- Knight Transportation
8. Gig Driving & Delivery Firms
If you might have access to a reliable vehicle and a clean driving record, you may consider applying for gig jobs as a substitute. A gig job provides flexible hours, decent pay, and independence, and a few corporations offer sign-up bonuses.
Driving and delivery gig jobs corporations include:
- Lyft
- Uber
- UberEats
- Instacart
- DoorDash
- Postmates
- Grub Hub
- Amazon Flex
Ride-sharing and delivery jobs are tough to get into, as these corporations perform background checks, and their policies are pretty confusing, to be honest.
But should you live in a state that limits felony record access, you weren’t charged with certain crimes, and also you live in an in-demand area, you could find gig work with these corporations. (Individuals with a criminal history appear to have higher luck with Uber, though.)
My suggestion is to use should you’re interested, be honest about your background, and see what happens. In case you do get hired, keep job searching and applying elsewhere. These corporations have also been known to disqualify drivers even after initially approving them, so it’s best to be prepared in case that happens to you.
9. Mechanics & Automotive Firms
In case you like cars but don’t need to work as a driver, there are many good jobs within the automotive industry.
If you might have the best skills and experience, you could possibly fix and repair vehicles, be lots attendant or a automotive washer at automotive rental corporations or dealerships, or work as an auto glass installer, fixing and replacing windshields. If there’s an automotive plant nearby, it requires factory employees.
And like most other corporations, in addition they need customer support agents, cleaners, maintenance employees, warehouse or stockroom staff, and administrative support.
Some automotive corporations that hire felons include:
- Enterprise
- Budget
- Avis
- Hertz
- Jiffy Lube
- AutoZone
- Goodyear Dunlop Tire
- Bridgestone
- Dunlop Tires
- Firestone
- Tesla
- Ford
- General Motors
- Harley Davidson
- U-Haul
- Delta Air Lines
- American Airlines
- British Airways
10. Manufacturing & Food Production Firms
Factories and manufacturing production plants exist throughout North America, they usually are at all times seeking to hire. They cover a big selection of products from food production, industrial manufacturing, metal and mineral manufacturing, and consumer products manufacturing.
Working in a factory is tough work and the pay isn’t at all times great, nevertheless it’s regular and offers opportunities to grow on the job.
Some manufacturing and production corporations that hire felons include:
- Unilever – Dove, Hellmann’s, Lipton, Ben & Jerry’s, and Klondike
- Tyson Foods – JimmyDean, SaraLee, and Hillshire Farms
- Keurig Dr Pepper – Van Houtte, Cinnabon, Sunkist, Snapple, and Motts
- Deer Park Spring Water
- Aramark
- Pepsi Co
- Coca Cola
- Campbell Soup Company
- Del Monte Foods
- Kraft
- Perdue Farms
- General Mills
- General Electric
- Boeing
- Stanley Black and Decker
- Praxair
- Duracell
- John Deere
- Caterpillar
11. Labor, Construction & Expert Trade Firms
Construction corporations are known to rent qualified felons, and a few ex-felons start their very own construction businesses.
There are various different opportunities to get a job, including electricians, plumbers, carpenters, welders, woodworkers, construction sites, roofers, HVAC, and general labor needs. Your charges may prevent you from working on the residential level, but there may be a high demand for employees with industrial businesses.
Although expert trades jobs often require training, the training programs are short and might even be paid. Certain occupations within the trades, nevertheless, are regulated and would require certification. You might need to begin in a lower-skill role, reminiscent of installation, digging, cleansing equipment or worksites, moving materials, or assisting licensed journeymen. However it’s a terrific solution to learn more about specific trades and gain the abilities needed to maneuver into higher roles.
Some labor and expert trade corporations that hire felons include:
- United States Steel
- Labor Finders
- Ace Hardware
- J.B. Hunt
- Caterpillar
- ServiceMaster
- WIS International
- Lowe’s
- Home Depot
- Local corporations
12. Warehousing, Shipping & Receiving Firms
I’m assuming that you might have shopped at an enormous box store or ordered something online through Amazon before. Firms like this have numerous inventory or merchandise coming out and in. Due to this fact, they require staff to load and unload these boxes, arrange shipments, confirm records and deliveries, and stock shelves. While it may well be physically demanding, the work itself is fairly straightforward.
Some warehousing, shipping and receiving corporations that hire felons include:
- Keurig Dr Pepper – Sunny D, Evian, Vernors, and Krispy Kream
- Amazon Warehouse
- Publix
- PAC Worldwide
- Preferred Freezer Services
- Restaurant Depot
- DAP Products
- Alpine Food Distributing, Inc
- Walmart
- Goal
- Whole Foods
- Sam’s Club
13. Oil, Gas & Energy Firms
In case you are physically fit, don’t mind labor or getting dirty, and live in the best area or are willing to maneuver or travel, you may consider a job within the oil and gas industry. They often have a tough time finding employees, especially for offshore jobs, making them more open to hiring felons. Some even offer apprenticeships as a solution to attract and keep employees.
There are a selection of job opportunities, including oil rig operators, derrick operators, rotary drill operators, petroleum engineers, technicians, administration, tech support,
Some oil and gas corporations that hire felons include:
- Chevron
- Exxon Mobile
- BP
- Shell Oil
- Exelon
- Koch Industries
- Gibson Energy
- Duke Energy
14. Community Service Firms
A former felon can find it very rewarding to present back to their community, which is why many former inmates find yourself working or volunteering with community service agencies.
As a counselor or speaker, sharing your unique experiences with others who’re in danger may help them avoid making the unsuitable decisions. In case you’ve had your individual issues with substance abuse, you possibly can discover with people in search of support higher than those that haven’t personally faced those challenges.
There are also opportunities to work in administration, sales, shelter support, cleansing, maintenance, warehousing, and cooking.
Some community service corporations that hire felons include:
- Goodwill
- Salvation Army
- Volunteers of America
- Local shelters and charities
- Local addiction support corporations
15. Temp Agencies
Temp agencies (also referred to as staffing agencies or temporary employment agencies) at all times need qualified employees, and lots of are willing to rent ex-offenders.
Through a temp agency, you might be matched with a felon-friendly employer that’s willing to present you a second likelihood. The variety of job you possibly can get will rely upon your skill set, background check, and what jobs are currently available.
The good thing about working with a temp agency is that you might have access to a lot of open positions, a lot of which aren’t advertised anywhere else. (That is referred to as the hidden job market.) Once you might have been approved as a temp with the agency, you don’t must undergo the hiring process and apply and interview with each individual company that you simply match with. You simply start working as soon because the contract begins.
The downside is that contracts can last as little as just a few days. It may well be hard to go backwards and forwards between working full-time and part-time hours and never working in any respect when a contract ends. But these are paying jobs that also assist you to establish a piece history and rapport with employers.
When you find yourself matched with an organization as a temp, and things go well, the job can turn right into a everlasting, full-time role.
If temp work feels like option, try contacting the next places:
- Manpower
- Kelly Services
- Adecco
- Oasis Outsourcing
- Aerotek Recruiting
- Dillard & Associates Staffing
- Integrity Staffing
- Express Employment Professionals
- Staffmark
- Peoplelink Staffing Solutions
16. Start Your Own Company
Do you might have skills which you can use to begin your individual business? In that case, self-employment may very well be a terrific option for you. Your criminal record likely won’t be a hurdle, as your customers won’t run a criminal background check on you.
You may offer plenty of various services as an entrepreneur each online and offline, including landscaping, tech support, personal training, or any of those other 300+ small business ideas.
There are various different options, depending on what you might be good at and what level of risk and investment you possibly can make. Some businesses have little to no start-up costs, so you possibly can start instantly, while others will cost lots and take some time to establish or require specialized training, licenses, or certificates. If something interests you, look into what starting your individual business would entail.
Get Help with Your Job Search
Now that you might have a greater idea of where you could possibly find jobs, get help applying for them! Job searching shouldn’t be something it’s best to do without support. This is especially true for anyone that has barriers to employment like having a criminal record.
If you might have spent the last couple of years in prison, how will you explain that gap? What should you’ve never had a job before? What do you place in your resume? Or in a canopy letter?
Do you have to disclose your incarceration instantly, or do you have to wait and see in case your felony convictions come up? What do you say in a job interview?
Perhaps you wish a bit more training or a refresher course before returning to the workforce but don’t know how you can get it.
There are free government services available to assist along with your reintegration into your community. (I work for one in every of these places myself.) Please don’t be embarrassed to ask for help! We commonly help individuals with records find work and have strategies to assist minimize its impact in your future.
Most communities have employment service agencies where you possibly can get free help writing your resume, find referrals to free or low-cost training and other supports (like housing and clothing assistance), and the staff will know what specific corporations hire felons in your area. And trust me, we would like to see you succeed!
Don’t forget – you might be still competing with other qualified applicants for the roles you apply to. Firms will hire the very best candidate, so you have to do whatever it takes to face out.
With the best approach and the best attitude, it is feasible to get job no matter your past.
Amanda Kay, the founding father of My Life, I Guess, provides invaluable profession advice and support for anyone striving to make a living and, more importantly, make a life. Whether it’s navigating job searches, learning recent skills, overcoming unemployment, or coping with debt, My Life, I Guess has been a go-to resource for profession guidance and financial stability since 2013. Amanda’s expertise and relatable approach have been featured in trusted publications reminiscent of MSN, Credit.com, Yahoo! Finance, the Ladders and Fairygodboss.
